


and if you don't know (now you know)

by MissSugarPlum



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: (also the teeniest tiniest mentions of coldflash and goldenvibe/killergold if you want to see it), (because i apparently just can't help myself), Episode Tag, Fix-It, Gen, Mentions of Canonical Character Death, Missing Scene, Not beta-read, mentions of canonical child abuse, s01e01 pilot part one, snart sibling feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 18:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5835583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSugarPlum/pseuds/MissSugarPlum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“And what about being a hero?” Lisa questions, and Len would snap if not for her expression, wide open and guileless, tone curious instead of caustic.</p><p>“The Flash visited me, in prison,” he says rather than answer her, and Lisa blinks at the abrupt change of topic. “Said a lot of things. Mostly crap, but also—said we didn’t have to let our pasts define us.”</p><p>Len lets Lisa mull over that for a moment, and Barry Allen’s voice whispers in his ear, <i>“Today just proved what I’ve always known—there’s good in you, Snart.”</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	and if you don't know (now you know)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [trespresh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/trespresh/gifts), [dragdragdragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragdragdragon/gifts), [weekend_conspiracy_theorist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/weekend_conspiracy_theorist/gifts).



> For the lovely ladies in my life, all of whom adore Lisa Snart just as much as (if not more than) I do, and because I am still seething that Lisa was not once mentioned in the pilot of LoT, even though everyone except Len and Mick got to discuss their leaving with someone else close to them.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> ~~I will continue to be salty about this, and nobody can stop me.~~
> 
>  
> 
>    
> BUT, instead of being super super bitter about it (who are we kidding, I'm bitter about it), I wrote a fix-it instead.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> (Title from my obsession with the second love of my life, Brendon Urie, and Panic! At The Disco's Emperor's New Clothes)

“...I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”

 

Lisa is most definitely _not_ sorry—Len can tell, partly because of the hard line of her shoulders, tense and with the faintest trace of curling in on herself, partly because of the obstinate twist to her mouth, unhappy and defiant, partly because of the tone of her voice, belligerent and unapologetic, but mostly because Lisa is his sister, and he knows her better than he knows anyone except himself.

 

“Lisa,” he says, and it’s a warning, though the threads of exhaustion laced through it are purely accidental.

 

Lisa’s posture doesn’t shift. “No, don’t you  _‘Lisa'_ me, not after this,” she snaps. “You can’t tell me something like this and expect me to be okay with it.”

 

Lisa’s eyes dare him to argue, and he’s tired, dumb enough to do just that. “It’s not—” he starts, but Lisa cuts him off impatiently.

 

“You just said that you and _Mick Rory_ were chosen to be part of this team of—of what, _superheroes_ , and you’re going to save the world by _traveling through time_ in order to stop some immortal psycho, and that under _no circumstances_ am I coming with you,” Lisa recites, and Len winces at the soft, deadly tone of her voice, knowing he’s well and truly pissed her off now.

 

All he does, though, is raise an eyebrow at her, knowing it will only anger her further but reluctant to really delve into the reasons he doesn’t want her accompanying them. “You know I don’t care about saving the world,” he drawls, and Lisa’s eyes narrow as he continues, “It’s about the game, the opportunity, nothing more and nothing less.”

 

Lisa looks insulted now, affront scrawled over every inch of her face. “Don’t give me that bullshit, Lenny. I know you better than that, and you know it.”

 

Len breathes out through his nose, closing his eyes briefly, the small sigh the only sign of frustration he’ll allow himself.

 

Convincing Mick had been a hell of a lot easier.

 

“I can’t see you hurt,” he tries next, and he really can’t tell if Lisa is going to hit him or not for it, her eyes bugging out in disbelief before narrowing to slits, teeth bared and ready to rip chunks out of him for daring to suggest she is anything less than the skillful woman she is.

 

“I am _more_ than capable of taking care of myself,” Lisa snarls, “something _you_ of all people should know.” Her tone is scathing, but it’s the notes of hurt and betrayal lingering in the draw of her brow and ringing through her voice that squeeze at the remnants of Len’s battered and broken heart, pierce at the cracked armor he’s cloaked himself in for so long.

 

“I know that,” he grinds out, and he’s angry at himself for how angry he sounds at her. “This isn’t about you, it’s about _me_ —this is new, this time travel, these people, this situation—uncharted territory. If something happened to you because I wasn’t prepared—” He swallows roughly, trying to banish the memories, seeing a man’s head explode because of his father, the visceral fear and overwhelming panic at the thought of that happening to the one person in his life he cares about more than anything else, despite all his better judgment, despite knowing exactly what that love reveals about him. “I can’t lose you, Lise, and I can’t see you hurt. Not again. Not after last time.”

 

Lisa falls silent at that, eyes big and round and too large in her face. “Lenny,” she whispers, but doesn’t add anything else—perhaps can’t, because they’ve never talked like this, about this, never exposed their very real weaknesses to anyone, not even each other, always buried their emotions and their fears underneath blasé calm and sibling snark and fierce determination in the face of anyone who dares to call their devotion to each other a weakness—because it is, of course it is, always had been and always will be—but it is also their biggest strength, because they know exactly how important they are to each other, the lengths they’re both willing to go to to keep the other safe (and those lengths are terrifying, because they both know, without saying, that they will do anything and everything in their power to keep the other as safe as they possibly can, no matter who or what gets in their way).

 

“Dad’s dead,” Lisa says finally, carefully, like she hasn’t said it aloud before and isn’t used to thinking it.

 

“I know,” Len agrees quietly, and he does—of course he does, he who struck the killing blow—but knowing it and _knowing_ it are two very different concepts, and he’s struggling with the latter more than he’d ever care to admit.

 

Lisa leaves it at that, doesn’t say anything more on the subject, but she steps forward and curls her arms around Len, squeezing his middle and resting her head against his chest in a rare display of open affection. Len cherishes the intimacy, brings her closer with an arm around her shoulders, presses a kiss to the crown of her head, draws comfort from her steady presence, both in his arms and in his life.

 

“So.” Lisa breaks the peaceful silence tentatively, raising her bright eyes to meet his. “You’re really doing this, then? Traveling through time, saving the world?”

 

Len hums noncommittally, staring at a point above Lisa’s shiny hair. “It seems so.”

 

“And what about being a hero?” Lisa questions, and Len would snap if not for her expression, wide open and guileless, tone curious instead of caustic.

 

“The Flash visited me, in prison,” he says rather than answer her, and Lisa blinks at the abrupt change of topic. “Said a lot of things. Mostly crap, but also—said we didn’t have to let our pasts define us.”

 

Len lets Lisa mull over that for a moment, and Barry Allen’s voice whispers in his ear, _“Today just proved what I’ve always known_ _—there’s good in you, Snart.”_

 

“Dad is dead,” Len continues in a firm voice, and Lisa’s eyes snap back up to his. “And I’m done letting him dictate what I do with my life. So I’m going to help save the world, and I’m going to become a goddamn _legend_ doing it.”

 

Lisa smiles, and there’s something a lot like _pride_ swimming in her gaze. Her grin dims in the next moment though, and she cants her head to the side, askance. “And what about me?”

 

“You stay here,” Len affirms, gently brushing a curl away from Lisa’s face. “There are people I need you to watch over while I’m gone.”

 

“People… like a certain _dashing_ CSI that happened to visit you in prison the day you were incarcerated?” Lisa questions, and the sudden glimmer of mischief in her eyes makes Len pause fractionally before narrowing his eyes in warning.

 

(He should have known better than to tell Lisa about Barry’s visit, should have known she would keep tabs on him, even locked away, should have known better than to dangle the puzzle pieces of Barry’s identity in front of her and let her put them together, but he can’t bring himself to regret that now.)

 

“I hope you don’t expect me to answer that,” he reproves, more for the sake of plausible deniability than anything else, and Lisa’s laugh rings loud and true in the space between them as she throws her head back in delight.

 

“Don’t worry, Lenny, your secret is safe with me,” she promises, winking. “I’ll keep an eye on your speedster for you, _and_ his little scientist friends… as long as they reciprocate.” Her gaze turns expectant, eyebrows raising, and Len debates with himself for all of a second before sighing in defeat, both marveling and despairing at the wonder that is his baby sister.

 

“The Flash knows how important you are to me,” he says grudgingly, and Lisa grins devilishly at him even as her eyes soften. “He’ll help you if you need it, and he’s good for not dangling something like that over your head.”

 

“I have to say, I’m impressed by how _intimately_ you know him,” Lisa comments off-handedly, grin widening at the glare Len directs her way. “But also…” She takes a step away from Len, but takes his hands in her own before he can let them fall back down to his sides, bringing their intertwined arms up between them in an intimation of the hug they just shared.

 

 _Thank you_ , she doesn’t say, but Len hears it anyway—hears everything unspoken, the understanding of his actions, the appreciativeness for sharing the deepest parts of himself with her, the gratitude for allowing her to look after herself (and others) while he is unable.

 

Len smiles at his sister, for once letting his expression open completely, letting all the love and admiration and fierce protectiveness he holds for her flow through his gaze, and the way she smiles back suggests she understands.

 

Len will go off with these mostly-strangers for who knows how long, travel through time, save the world in any and every way he can, do whatever is possible and necessary to ensure Lisa’s safety.

 

Because Lisa is his world, and he dares anyone, even someone like Vandal Savage, to threaten it.

 

They won’t know what hit them.

 

**Author's Note:**

> (All this being said, I actually really did enjoy the pilot of Legends of Tomorrow, and am (mostly) eagerly awaiting the rest of the season. :] ~~as long as there's no more love triangles ever ever _ever_~~ )
> 
> come spaz out with me about my ladylove Lisa Snart on [tumblr](http://that-pumpkinspicewhitegirl.tumblr.com)!


End file.
